BRADFORD Council removed a Facebook post featuring an image of staff after online trolls bombarded them with abuse.

The post, which went online on Wednesday, included a photo of staff and volunteers who would be taking to the streets during lockdown to offer advice to members of the public, as well as provide details of where they could get tested.

However, the following day the Council announced that it had taken down the post due to a huge amount of abusive comments aimed at the people in the photo.

The authority said that while it was willing to accept “genuine criticism” of the Council, it drew the line at personal trolling of its staff, which they say “crossed the line.”

Members of the public say they had been horrified by the abuse they saw on the post.

Since the Pandemic began in March, Council workers have regularly been on the District’s streets to offer advice to people on how to keep safe. Wardens have also carried out door to door visits to homes in areas of high infection rates to offer tests - a policy that has been credited with taking the District from being one of the areas in the UK with the highest infection rates to falling out of the top 200 most infectious areas.

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A statement from the Council on Thursday evening referred to the online abuse, saying: “We have removed a post which was published on our page yesterday (Wednesday) relating to volunteers and staff offering advice and information on rapid testing and the national lockdown.

“The post was removed due to a number of comments directed towards the people in the picture.

“As a public body we accept genuine criticisms of our services, however many of the comments crossed the line into abuse of people who are working hard to help residents and workers in Bradford District stay safe and stop the spread of the virus.”

Many replied to the post saying they had been disappointed to see the abuse Facebook users were piling on strangers.

Vanessa Robinson said: “Have read many posts that have been rude and unnecessary unkind to the very people that do excellent work. So sad especially in a time like present that they are so ungrateful and have nothing decent to say.”

Elaine Horne said: “It makes me ashamed when I hear this about other human beings. What is wrong with people? We were tested at our doorstep by a lovely team of volunteers.”

Another user, David Hat Ley, said: “Sadly, all too often, people use social media to make snide remarks.”Marie-Claire Hall said: “Unfortunately some people have literally nothing better to do than belittle others.” Tony Strange added: “Social media I’m afraid. Full of keyboard warriors.”

The issue of Trolling, where people send offensive messages to others online, often behind the comfort of anonymity, has been said to have increased during lockdown. At a meeting last year Mark Burns Williamson, Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire, suggested the increase may be down to people spending more time isolated and at home - away from people who may dissuade them from targeting strangers for abuse.